Anambra Poll: Traditional Rulers Wash Hands Off Tony Nwoye
30 Traditional Rulers in Anambra North Senatorial District of Anambra State have washed their hands off a story which in a Lagos-based newspaper claiming that leaders of the zone had dumped Chief Willie Obiano, APGA candidate in the coming gubernatorial election in the state for Mr. Tony Nwoye who is also standing election on the platform of the PDP.
The royal fathers who spoke at their monthly meeting at the weekend in Onitsha South Local Government Area distanced themselves from the said report, dismissing it as a blatant lie, purposely fabricated to mislead the vulnerable members of the public.
Speaking through their Chairman, Igwe Rowland Odegbo, Igwe Aborgu 2 na Nteje, the highly influential traditional rulers denied ever endorsing Mr. Nwoye whose campaign has been hobbled by protracted court cases and described as total falsehood, any story that alleges that Nwoye has been anointed by them.
According to Igwe Aborgu 2, “We did not endorse Tony Nwoye. I repeat; we did not endorse Tony Nwoye. We did not abandon Obiano for Nwoye. The two candidates are our sons. They have both come to tell us that they are running for the governorship election and we have blessed both of them. Obiano was the first to approach us and we blessed him and prayed for him.”
Igwe Aborgu 2 further noted that the royal fathers were still evaluating the two candidates to know who they would endorse for the coming election. “We will make our position known very soon,” he explained.
When reminded that the Igwe of Ogbunike, Igwe John Umenyiora had expressed reservations in the same report about Governor Peter Obi's agreement with the royal fathers on the issue of his successor, Igwe Aborgu 2 swept the comment aside.
“Igwe Umenyiora does not speak of Anambra North Traditional Rulers Council of which I am the Chairman. He spoke for himself,” Igwe Aborgu 2 replied pointing out that as traditional rulers, his group does not make flippant comments in the media.
It would be recalled that a Lagos-based newspaper had on Thursday reported that the traditional rulers had dumped Chief Willie Obiano for Tony Nwoye, a report widely dismissed in Awka, the Anambra State capital and environs as the work of poorly trained media undertakers.